I Will Protect You
by Mykous
Summary: It had been, from the very beginning, Fate that brought them together. The day Teito crashed into Frau's life, he became Frau's responsibility. Frau is just doing his job, and he'll continue to insist that even though he's not sure who he's trying to convince anymore. (Alternate Event story, follows the manga up until chapter 61 and then starts to diverge.)
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: 07-Ghost is a fantasy manga written and illustrated by Yuki Amemiya and Yukino Ichihara. _The fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright._ I am writing this purely for entertainment and make no profits.

A/N: Much of this chapter is a recap of the manga chapter 61, as my story directly ties into it. Much dialogue has been edited and much has been added, but if it seems familiar, that is why. Italics are Frau's thoughts. Not even sure what POV I was trying to do this in, hope it's not too confusing. Anyway, onward.

* * *

"Don't hide anything from me! If you want to eat my soul, then eat it!" Teito says, reaching out to grasp Frau's gloved hand.

Frau flinches, pulling his hand away, "Don't... don't tempt me. If I devour you, then the person I am will come to an end," he manages to say, but it comes out like a growl and Frau hates himself for it.

"But!" Teito exclaims, "I won't just sit back and let you eat my soul! No matter how many times it takes, I'll drag you out and destroy that scythe!"

Frau stares, stunned. _This child... this beautiful, trusting child that I... I attacked... still wants to save me..._

"Damn brat," Frau hisses, "I'm too far gone already..."

"You're not!" Teito shouts, "I won't let it have it's way! It won't have you _or_ me!"

_He really is serious..._ "Then..." Frau murmurs, "Promise me... Promise you'll kill me if... if I can't control it."

"Wh-what? What kind of idiotic request is that!?" Teito sputters, "Is this revenge for what I said at Ragg's castle?"

Frau chuckles humorlessly, "I suppose you could look at it like that. Now we're 50/50."

"You..." Teito stares, before hurling a pillow at Frau's face, "You better work harder then! So you don't consume me!"

"Fu... Work harder?" Frau snarls, "You have no idea how hard I've been working already! Just to keep from eating your soul, I can't even relax in my sleep!"

"So that murderous aura I've felt in my sleep sometimes was you!" Teito mutters to himself, before looking back up at Frau with a curious expression, "But wait... Why is it you've had to work harder since you've met me? Is it just because the scythe wants to consume me?"

"Or... Is it because my soul is as dark and tainted as a Wars? I saw you feeding on that one, before..." Teito mumbles, "If that's why, it's not hard to understand..."

"Idiot," Frau says, "What I did then was just part of my job. But those corrupted souls taste terrible... No matter how many I eat, it gives me no satisfaction. Because of that, the craving for a beautiful and untainted soul like yours arises..." Frau mumbles, hating the way hunger seeps into his voice as he glances sideways at Teito. _Does that kid have no sense of self preservation?_

"Why Verloren's scythe has it's eye on you..." Frau shrugs, "I'm at my wit's end."

"What wit?" Teito mumbles, earning a glare from Frau. "But wait..." Teito says, "That doesn't make sense. My soul isn't pure. It's tainted, irrevocably tainted. What kind of joke is this?"

"I don't really get it, but," Frau smirks, turning to face Teito, "It looks suuuuper delicious"

Teito jumps, startled, "H-hey! Don't look at me with such hungry eyes like that!" he shrieks, blushing.

"Hey, now. It was you who said not to keep secrets," Frau grins, "Being honest like this is... nice," _What am I doing? Am I purposefully trying to scare that kid now, looking at him like he's some kind of meal... Shouldn't I be, though? It's not good for him to trust someone like me..._

"Hey," Teito says, tossing Frau something.

"Huh?" Frau questions, catching the object, "My necklace..?"

"Wear it. It... suits you," Teito mumbles, the blush darkening, "Because you're **_my_** bishop, right?"

_**His**__... bishop? What does he mean by that..? No, it's just because he's my apprentice, don't be stupid!_

"If you follow my example, you'll be a bad bishop," Frau says, smirking.

"I don't think so," Teito protests, standing up from the bed to snatch the necklace and fasten it around Frau's neck himself, "I think... you're really amazing."

Frau stares, reaching out a gloved hand to grasp Teito's own, feeling the youth's warmth even through the fabric. "Don't," he warns.

"Don't what?" Teito asks.

"Don't... don't get so close to me right now, okay? I wasn't kidding... when I said your soul looks delicious..." he sighs out, expression pained.

"Idiot, I know you weren't, but even so..." Teito grabs tightly to Frau's shirt, "I know Frau will never hurt me," he murmurs, leaning against the older male's chest.

Frau wraps his arms around the boy, cradling him, "Damn brat... you said it yourself, I'm a shady character. Why... why do you put so much trust in me?" _Please, I can't hurt you again, don't get close to me_.

Teito says nothing, simply choosing to close his eyes and listen to the man's breathing.

"...tch," Frau sighs, loosening his grip on the teen, "Get back to your own bed, I'm not a fuckin' teddy bear. You're going to get cold if you keep pressed against me like that."

"You say that... but to me, Frau is warm.." Teito mumbles into his chest, refusing to unlatch his arms from around the man.

Frau, not knowing what to say, ruffles the boy's hair lightly. "Geez... what am I going to do with you," he sighs. Wincing suddenly, the hand resting atop Teito's head shakes slightly as the tattoo on his arm seems to swirl and glow._ Shitshitshitno_, he hisses inside his head, forcing the tendrils of ink back into his skin, sealing the scythe away.

As the tattoo returns to normal, the bishop pries Teito's arms from around him, standing up rather hurriedly. "Get goin', already. You need your sleep and you've still gotta get cleaned up first."

"What are you, my mother?" Teito grumbles halfheartedly, smiling up at the man before heading off to run a bath.

Frau sighs after Teito leaves the room, running a hand through his hair. _What am I doing... am I trying to get that kid killed?_

"So," Frau mutters, standing up from the bed, "Just how long have you two been eavesdropping?" he growls, kicking open the small room's balcony windows to be met with the innocent stares of Castor and Labrador.

"Isn't it freezing here?" Castor asks nonchalantly.

"It's soooo cold," Labrador echoes.

"If you don't want to freeze, heat up the room yourself!" Frau snaps.

"It's okay, we're staying warm like this!" Labrador and Castor say in union, pulling the hem of their coats.

"I went to the trouble of bringing one for you, too," Castor mumbles.

"Here, a 24-hour lasting heat pack," Labrador says, holding it out to Frau.

Frau stares blankly at it before sighing and turning away. "You must've been peeking since we got to the room..."

"No, since you ate Velne's soul," Castor corrects, "If you had consumed Teito, it would have complicated things."

"I won't hurt Teito!" Frau snaps, before he composes himself, sinking onto the bed, "...I won't devour him. I'm better than this fucking piece of shit scythe. It can't have him."

Labrador smiles, "If it's for Teito, I believe Frau can overcome it."

Castor sighs, staring at Frau intensely. "What is he to you?"

"What?"

"Teito. You know we heard."

"Teito..." Frau mumbles, staring down at his hands, "That damn brat is my responsibility, that's all."

"I see," Castor says, smirking slightly, "Well. Just you two traveling made us quite worried. We'll be following behind from now on... I get the feeling you'll need the help to get through the military."

"Tch... Fine, do whatever," Frau sighs.

Labrador smiles softly to himself, staring at Frau with pitying eyes, "It will get even harder from now on... For those two, especially." Labrador murmurs to himself sadly.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: 07-Ghost is a fantasy manga written and illustrated by Yuki Amemiya and Yukino Ichihara. _The fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright._ I am writing this purely for entertainment and make no profits.

A/N: I especially enjoyed this chapter. It's a bit of... fluff, I suppose, and you'll be seeing much more like this. I have a thing for characters with a dark nature, and I feel like if Teito and Frau were together alone more often, Frau would struggle with the scythe. After all, he started having problems controlling it the moment he met Teito, I don't see that as getting easier until either Frau or the scythe is finally completely overcome. So basically I'm going to torture Frau with the scythe. I'm horrible.

* * *

Frau sighs, staring out the balcony window after Castor and Labrador leave. _I can't blame them for being careful, but how can I trust myself if even they can't..?_

A sound catches his attention, and he turns around to see Teito coming from the bathroom in his boxers, toweling his hair.

"Hey," Teito questions, "Are you okay? You look..." he trails off.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Frau reassures, striding over to the bed and taking a seat, "Get some sleep, brat, I'll leave you behind if you aren't up early."

Teito glares at the man, grumbling as he hangs the towel to dry. "Aren't you gonna undress?"

"Why so curious?" Frau teases, "Hoping I will?"

"N-no! Geez! I-I just thought you might be hot like that!" Teito scrambles to reply, chucking a pillow at Frau.

"Another pillow?! I'm keeping this one, you damn brat!" Frau grumbles, "Idiot. I can't get hot like that, remember?" _I might be alive to you, but I really am dead. Don't forget that._

Teito stares, thinking. "Don't you get cold?"

"...in a way, I'm always cold," Frau shrugs, "But I don't really notice anymore."

Teito continues staring at the Bishop.

"...what's with you? Don't stare at me like that," Frau mumbles. _What's with this kid? I haven't said anything interesting, have I?_

Teito bundles up the blankets from his bed, wrapping them around his shoulders before striding over to Frau's bed.

"Oy, what're you..?"

"Shut up," Teito mumbles, crawling onto Frau's bed and throwing the blankets covering him over top Frau as well, "I know you say I'll get cold, but maybe you'll get warm. It's not like temperature bothers me, anyway."

"Dammit, kid," Frau hisses, "I didn't realize you were so suicidal."

"Suicidal..?"

"Are you really so stupid!? I already told you not to get close to me!" Frau snaps, inching as far away from Teito as possible on the small bed, "I attacked you! I could've killed you! I still could any minute!" Frau snarls, "It takes everything I have not to kill you right now, how well do you think it will end if I fall asleep with you right next to me!?"

Teito stares up at Frau's snarling face. "Your fangs... They only come out when you're using the scythe, don't they? But they're out now..."

Frau blinks, closing his mouth tightly. "I told you," he mumbles, "It's worse when you're near me."

"Does it hurt you?"

"Does what hurt me?"

"Being near me. Does it hurt?"

"It..." Frau starts, uncertain how to proceed, "It's harder to control the scythe, and stuff like this," Frau gestures to his pointed teeth, "Can't be suppressed, but... it doesn't hurt, exactly." _Geez, how the hell do I put it? "It's a good kind of pain?" Sure, make it seem like I get off on putting him in danger, that would go over just great. Stupid, stupid._

"Then... as long as it doesn't hurt Frau, I'm not leaving," Teito says determinedly, pressing back up against Frau.

"Geez... why the hell couldn't you just be scared like a normal person?"

"Because I know you won't hurt me... You might look scary," Teito mumbles into Frau's side, "But you're my Bishop... That scythe won't have either of us, I promise. So don't worry so much, okay?"

"Tch. Don't worry so much, he says," Frau grumbles, "Easy for you to say, do you know how much my reputation is already ruined? They think you're my kid, what would anyone say if they saw us like this? I swear, you're purposefully trying to ruin me!"

"Shut up, pervert," Teito mumbles, blushing, "I just thought you might want some warmth, if you'd rather spend the night cold I'll just go back to my own bed."

Frau wraps an arm around Teito, pulling him closer. "Don't blame me if you get cold," Frau mumbles into Teito's hair.

_He really is warm... geez, am I so depraved? Using a kid as a personal space heater..._

Frau watches until the boy finally slips into sleep. _Quiet, you_ he glares at his arm, the ink yet again swirling._ You think I don't know? I can smell his soul too, because of you._ The scythe growls from it's place on his arm, inky tendrils crawling their way up his shoulder.

The Bishop stares at the ceiling, claws digging into his hands as he snarls silently. _I don't care how much you struggle, you can't have that brat._

Teito murmurs, blinking sleepy eyes up at Frau.

_Ah, shit..!_ Frau hurries to close his mouth, smoothing his face into a less violent expression.

"Frau..." Teito mumbles, grasping the man's right arm, "Liar," The teen sleepily mumbles, trailing a hand along the Bishop's claws.

"Liar?"

"Y'said it doesn't hurt."

"It... doesn't exactly... hurt," Frau tries to say without growling, "It's just... hard to explain." _Is something wrong with this kid's head? I mean, _I_ would be running from me right now if I were him._

Tendrils of ink snake down the hand Teito is grasping, and Frau flinches, trying to pull away only to have Teito grab tighter.

"Nng... You really are stupid, you know that, you damn brat? You're playing with fire. Why don't you understand that?" Frau tries to growl, but it comes out like a plea. _I'm five seconds away from signing both our death certificates, if you don't get away from me right fucking now..!_

"I'm not scared of you, but... I think you're afraid of yourself," Teito says, staring up into Frau's eyes, "I won't let go of you, so please... please don't hide from me," He pleads, inches away from Frau's face.

Frau's eyes widen, as he considers something. _Ah, well... It's not like I was ever a very good Bishop anyway. _ Frau leans closer, pressing his lips lightly against Teito's.

"I'm not going anywhere," Frau promises. The tendrils snaking up Teito's arm recede, as the tattoo returns to normal with a low growl.

Teito stares at Frau, a dark blush spreading across his face.

"I, er," Frau stumbles, taking a sudden interest in the ceiling, "Sorry," he mumbles. _Not really._

"I'm not sorry," The boy replies, a smile spreading softly across his face, "I knew you could do it."

"O-of course I could, stupid brat, just how weak do you take me for? Now for the last time, get some sleep already."

The teen smiles, resting his head on Frau's chest, as he drifts off to sleep for the second time that night.

_I promise, I won't run away again. I won't leave you. And I won't let this scythe ever hurt you again._

Frau smiles at the boy asleep on him. _This boy who trusted me completely... this boy who believed in me... in his world, I am alive... and..._

_It's... warm..._ Frau thinks, as he drifts off into his first restful sleep since meeting Teito, arm wrapped protectively around the boy, the scythe firmly sealed for now.

It isn't until the next day he realizes that Castor is absolutely going to murder him.


End file.
